Peter Rodgers's Profile
Where is the wow factor on Hawksworth?
For starters, I admit that I have a great bias when it comes to David Hawksworth, who convinced me during his tenure at West that his level of creativity and attention to detail separated him from pretty much every other fine dining venue in Vancouver. That said, I share some of the reactions of those who commented here thus far. On the one hand, the room certainly is noisy -- David and Chad (the restaurant manager) are well aware of the issue and have plans to fix the problem. And the plates coming from the kitchen can be inconsistent. I could add that I still do not understand why they insist on charging for bread -- after all, the quality of the bread is a tip off to the quality of the restaurant.
On the other hand, I have found the service to be improving as it gets its sea legs -- and right now it works as well as at the old West. And the restaurant's commitment to wine and wine service is extraordinary -- setting it apart from much of the competition. If you are in doubt, just try one of their impossible to find New Zealand pinot noirs.
In the end, what needs to be understood is that the restaurant still is a vastly ambitious work in progress, not to mention the catering operation, the banquet facility, the cafe and serving three meals a day. Give it time. If you go, talk to David and Chad about what they can do better. I cannot imagine that once all facets of the business have matured, Hawksworth will not have earned its place at the top of the Vancouver gastronomic pecking order.
Pink Pearl (Hastings/Clark) now re-opened
We heard that the new owners are the former proprietors of the Fortune, who closed their restaurant at the Oakridge Center in December. If so, the prospects for worthy dim sum are excellent.
48 hours in Vancouver
Lots of dim sum choices, depending on how far you want to go. The two Kirin Restaurants downtown (Albernie and Cambie) both do solid dim sum. A bit farther afield is the Sun Sui Wah on Main. I have had some very good dim sum recently at the Good Choice in East Vancouver on Fraser Street (and 46th Avenue, I believe). In Richmond, Seafood Harbour and Jade are both good.
Kimura change of ownership
Visited Kimura-san on Saturday night. My server told me the news as I was leaving and asked if I wanted to leave an email address, etc. so that the departing team would be able to tell me about the new restaurant. So, if nothing else, stop by and leave them your coordinates. Hopefully, a new location will open soon (I too would be pleased by a move west). Meanwhile, if anyone learns more, please let the rest of us know.
L'abbatoir Vancouver
I paid my first visit to Abbatoir about a month a ago and had the very same meal -- I believe I reported on it. I agree that the restaurant lives up to its billing. Great drinks. The steehead salad was very good, although I found the steak dianne to have been a bit less exciting. I would add that they make their own breads -- all are excellent -- and the dessert that I chose I cannot quite remember what) also was very good.
Quick Takes on Visits to La Quercia, Abattoir, Ensemble and La Brasserie
I spent a few days at our second home in Vancouver last week and four evenings visiting new and old restaurant venues, to wit:
La Quercia -- I am a big fan and never miss the opportunity to dine at this bistro when I can get a reservation (which can be a challenge). I won't lose faith, but this was not a particularly successful visit. A crispy sweetbread appetizer was just okay and a fresh pasta dish sauced with clams and mussels did not work at all. Still, the service is excellent and the welcome as good as anywhere in town.
La Brasserie -- Again, I am a regular here. This time I sat at the kitchen bar, which is a blast (how do they keep all the fried onions from falling off their pyramidal hamburgers?). The German charcuterie platter was terrific as was a scallop dish served in a slightly Asian style broth with a saute of wild mushrooms. One of the best meals I've had at this Davie Street place.
Abattoir -- My first visit. The restaurant has a lot of buzz. Good house-made bread, an interesting warm steelhead trout and crisp potato salad; then a solid, if not exciting version of steak diane. All in all, worth another visit. First class cocktail to start, and the wine list is solid.
Ensemble -- This restaurant also was new to me. I tried the lobster caesar salad -- a super starter -- and then the pulled pork sandwich with a side of fries, both of which were excellent as well. The plates are fairly small, but two were enough for a light dinner.
Dim Sum? Yes, I know it is an often asked uestion
For all the razzing, I at least should get some stupendous new recommendations. By the way, I went by the site of the old Pink Pearl and saw no evidence that Fortune was moving in.
Ensemble
I paid my first visit last night to this fairly recent incarnation of the old Piccolo Mondo space on Thurlowt. I could only try two dishes, but I was pleased. A lobster Ceasar salad was delicate and creative. I thoroughly enjoyed the pulled pork sandwich-- and, an order of fries to go with it was perfect. Good coctails and a nice glass of Syrah. All in all, a promising start.
Dim Sum? Yes, I know it is an often asked uestion
Tried the Golden Harvest for dim sum yesterday. Excellent steamed port buns and har gow. But the sticky rice wraps and steamed peanut dumplings were disappointing, especially the latter, in which the wrapper was very heavy.
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Golden Harvest Seafood Restaurant
4818 Main St, Vancouver, BC V5V3R8, CA
Dim Sum? Yes, I know it is an often asked uestion
As reported in a posting to this board a few months ago, I am still feeling lost by virtue of the closings of both the Fortune (supposedly reopening in the old Pink Pearl space) and the Spicy Court, both of which were at the top of our list for ordered dim sum. Kind suggestions of others on this board led us to try the Neptune in Richmond and Dai Tung in East Vancouver. Both were fine, but in my judgment not especially better than San Sui Wah on Main (which can be good, but not consistently so). Ergo, here I am again to ask whether anyone has found new or improved options for traditional dim sum. Thanks in advance.
Where to go for first time Urchin (Uni) in Vancouver?
You won't go wrong with Sushi Kimura. The key is to find a sushi bar that makes sure the uni is impeccably fresh.
Looking for Good Szechuan restaurant Vancouver area
I would add Mr. Zhang's on Victoria to the list of worthy Szechuan restaurants. Looks like a hole in the wall, but the the plates that arrive from the kitchen are some of the best we have had in this genre.
New Boneta
Has anyone been to Boneta at its new location on Water Street. If so, what is your reaction to the new venue? And has the food changed in any meaningful way?
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Boneta Restaurant
, Vancouver, BC V5Y, CA
Fortune Closed
We learned yesterday that the Fortune at the Oak Ridge Center closed this week. A person who may have been connected with the restaurant told us that the owners will reopen in March at the former Pink Pearl location on Hastings. Although not often mentioned here, we liked Fortune for dim sum, especially the steamed items.
This is the second of our regular dim sum venues to have closed in the last several months (the other having been the Spicy Court) -- we may be jinxed! Visits this week to Dai Tung and Neptune (especially the Neptune) were good, but we need new ideas. Suggestions?
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Fortune Restaurant
650 W 41st Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z4M4, CA
Spicy Court for Dim Sum
Someone who knows the family told me that they are looking for a place to reopen, but no details currently are available.
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Spicy Court Chinese Restaurant
5638 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC V5Z3A5, CA
Golden Harvest - passes Good Choice for dim sum in the area for me
And while we are at it, where are the current "must go" dim sum places in Richmond, East Vancouver and Burnaby? As to Richmond, we have been regulars at the Jade, but have tired of it. There are the usual suspects (Kirin, Seafood Harbour, etc.) but I would love to have some new ideas.
Piemonte and a bit of the Amalfi Coast (Another Rather Long Report)
Four of us split a holiday week between the Alba area in Piemonte and the Amalfi Coast. This report focused on our food adventures in Piemonte.
1. Because of flight delays, we missed a planned lunch at Osteria Veglio near La Morra. While waiting for friends to arrive at Malpensa airport, we filled in with a lunch at Al Cammineto in Cameri, near Novarra (about 30 minutes from Malpensa). This family run restaurant had a nice wine list and a fairly sophisticated menu. We had starters consisting of a traditional cannelloni (just okay) and lovely zucchini and mushroom vegetable combination. Secondi were a melanzana parmigiana and a roullade of quail and foie gras -- both good but not memorable.
2. Dinner on our first night in the Langhe was at Il Castello di Sinio in the village of Sineo near Grinzane Cavour, where we stayed during our visit to the area. Denise, our Italo-American owner/host, is also the chef at the restored castle. She does fairly traditional Piemontese food, styled a bit to the tastes of her mostly American clientele. The wine list is limited, but we did manage to find an excellent 2009 Sandrone Barbera. We were now four persons, which allowed us to explore the menu in detail Denis served smoked swordfish and a delicate citrus salad as a teaser -- excellent As starters, we had vitello tonnato (kind of clumsy); stuffed zucchini flowers (good but heavy); a salad of grilled scallops that received high marks, another salad prepared with foie gras. Afterward, a very good pappardelle with porcini; a roasted lamb loin (well prepared but the meat was tough); a superb tagliarin with a ragu of salsicie di Bra; classic and well made agnolotti a la Guido; and a not very memorable roasted rabbit dish. Service was attentive and the small dining foom was very pleasant.
3. Lunch on our second day was at la Luna nel Pozzo in Neive. We enjoyed this restaurant in years past but on this Sunday, the food disappointed us somewhat. However, appetizers mostly lived up to memory: A flan made with pumpkin, a quail salad, a good but heavy polenta and sausage dish, a solid version of carne cruda. Then a tagliarin with a ragu of tomato and sausage that was very average and another main that did not make my notes. The wine list was considerably shorter than I had remembered, and we ended up with a Barbaresco that was too young -- we should have been warned, I thought.
4. We had dinner that night at Il Centro in Priocca We have eaten here many times over more than a decade, and although, we had not been to the area in the last three years, the owner, Enrico Cordero welcomed us as old friends, taking very good care of us despite a full house. Before we left, he gave us a tour of his newly refurbished wine cellar: 18k bottles -- a breathtaking collection of wines from the Langhe, Roero and elsewhere. We drank a lovely Schiopetto Tocai and an extraordinary '97 Barolo from the small Monforte producer Paruso. The food was fabulous -- our best of the trip. A teaser consisted of a little tangy red pepper filled with a classic mix of tuna, anchovy and olives -- we could have tripled down on it. Two antipasti: a delicate white fish with little fall vegetables and then a gorgeous fonduta with porcini and our first white truffles. Two primi: a best of breed tagliarin with tomato and sausage ragu (the four of us are fools for tagliarin in all forms) followed by an agnolotti made with porcini, also fabulous. We skipped secondi in favor of Cordero's impressive cheese cart. Then a super panna cotta.
5. On the third day of our visit we had lunch on the patio at Osteria Il Vignaiolo, a trattoria near La Morra. W e had first courses of vitello tonnato, traditional agnolotti del plin, tagliarin al sugo, a nice cheese filled ravioli and for some of us simple grilled lamb chops or braised lamb shanks. The wine list was long and well priced. We never did get to Osteria Veglio, but for straight forward traditional cooking, we certainly would recommend Il Vignaiolo.
6. Dinner on the third day was at la Coccinella in Serravalle Langhe. This charming restaurant, new for us, is carefully run by three brothers, one who cooks and two who manage the dining room. The food combines traditional Piemontese standards and creative alternatives, mostly fish. Everything we ordered was well executed. An excellent set of staters: pesce crudo ; one tagliarin with a customary ragu and another with porcini; and cheese filled ravioli. These were among the best of the trip's primi . Secondi were a swordfish dish; a take on traditional finanziera with fried veal and porcini; and a sort of porcini timbale built upon thin slices of crisp, fried potatoes. We were very happy with all of these dishes. Wines, from an extensive and well priced list, were a Ceretto Arneis and a superb 1999 single vineyard Barbaresco from i Produttori di Barbaresco. We certainly will return to il Coccinella.
7. Our last major meas was a lunch at Antica Corona Real in Cervere. From what one can tell, the restaurant, at which we had dined several times in earlier years, has not been spoiled by its recent elevation to two Michelin stars. The elegant dining rooms are the same. Chefs (father and son I think) and the padronna, a very serious lady, all were present. There is an excellent wine list from which the padronna chose for us a very nice 2010 Arneis and a 2008 Barbera d'Alba from a small producer. There was a little frittata with pickled onions as the gift from the kitchen. Then, the four of us shared an antipasto that consisted of layers of peppers, eggplant and a delicate cheese somewhat like fresh mozzarella. Afterward, a beautiful white truffle, egg and cardoon appetizer; two glorious tortellini dishes, one with cheese ( a signature dish), the other with a guinea hen filling (even better). Secondi included a traditional fried veal with baby vegetables and a braised rabbit liver (perhaps the best main dish of the trip). Desserts also were very good.
We spent the balance of of holiday in Sorrento, using it as a base for driving and eating along the Amalfi Coast. We had four significant meals, two of which were quite good: Quattro Passi in Nerano along the Coast south of Massa Lubrense and the restaurant in the San Pietro hotel near Positano. Quattro Passi is worth special mention as our best meal in the area -- beautiful pastas, including one memorable tagliarini with a pesto sauce and superb shellfish. We also tried Il Buco in Sorrento and la Tavera del Capitano in Marina del Cantone. Neither lived up to their star ratings, although we liked the seaside dining room at Taverna del Capitano. Notably the food throughout the region was very expensive, as if they expected only rich Americans. Even trattorias where we went for piazza and other simple meals were over priced. Local wines however were a good value and generally very pleasant.
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Quattro Passi
via Vespucci, 13/n, Massa Lubrense, Campania 80061, IT
Taverna del Capitano
Piazza delle Sirene, 10-11, Massa Lubrense, Campania 80061, IT
San Pietro
Piazzetta San Francesco, 2, Cetara, Campania 84010, IT
Il Buco
II Rampa Marina Piccola (Piazza S. Antonino), 5,, Sorrento, Campania 80067, IT
Il Centro
Via Umberto I,8, Priocca, Piemonte 12040, IT
Osteria Veglio
Frazione Annunziata,9, La Morra, Piemonte 12064, IT
Sonora Resort?
We have made two trips to Sonora, most recently in August 2010. The resort is wonderful in many ways and utterly beautiful. We found the food to have been excellent on our recent visit, on par with better Vancouver restaurants. As you may know, the price is inclusive of food, table wine and all bar charges. They had a great bar tender as well. You can call ahead and speak with the chef about what you would like to eat. We asked for local oysters for each dinner and locally caught fish mussels, etc. A highlight was dunginess crab dinner at which each of us was served a whole steamed three pound crab. None of our special offers produced extra charges. All in all worth a journey, especially if you can go as a group and charter a float plane to get there and back.
Knife sharpening in Vancouver?
I have had great experience with Knife Pro, a mobile knife sharpener. Set up an appointment and Dan Lambert will come to your home or office and sharpen anything you need in a matter of minutes. He can be reached at 604.788.8712.
Miko Sushi is as traditional as it gets in Vancouver
Not exactly to the point, but I had the chance to try Sushi Kamura this week for the first time. Although it was Monday and they were out of some things I wanted, what I did order by way of sushi was superb. The quality of the sushi rice was especially good. Excelllent tempura as well. Thanks for the good steer
Eating through the Piemonte region
allende,
Your comments on I Bologna are disheartening. My last visit, which was perhaps the fifth or sixth time we'd stopped there, was about three years ago, just after they finished their renovations and added rooms. At that point, it did not have the pretensions you describe. The food was good (although basic) and the wine list was superb. They did not push the family barberas, but rather invited us to the cellar to pick out a bottle of barbaresco, recommending an excellent small producer's offering, the price for which was quite reasonable. I would be interested in learning whether others have had the same less than enthralling experience as you have had in recent visits.
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Trattoria I Bologna
Via Nicola Sardi 4,, Rocchetta Tanaro (Asti), Piedmont 14030, IT
Eating through the Piemonte region
Actually, I think the toughest day to find restaurants open for business is Monday.
Eating through the Piemonte region
We try to get to Piemonte whenever we can and have a trip planned for truffle season, using Il Castello di Sinio as the jumping off point for as many as eight meals. As to the Langhe and Roero areas, you are missing two essential restaurants: Antica Corona da Renzo in Cervere and Il Centro in Priocca. You will find lots of comments on each on this board. I would rate both ahead of Guido in Polenzo (although I have always been a great fan of the Alciati family, especially when they ran the original Guido in Costigliole d'Asti.
Another highly recommended restaurant among readers here is Trattoria Coccinella in Serravalle Langhe. Finally, for a wonderful traditional lunch, consider I Bologna in Rochetta Tanaro.
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Il Centro
Via Umberto I,8, Priocca, Piemonte 12040, IT
Vancouver visit next week - too many decisions - I need help!
Per my recent dim sum post, we had fabulous dim sum at Spicy Court recently (much better than other contemporaneous visits for dim sum to Sun Sui Wah and Jade). We like the Good Choice, but it is better for dinner than dim sum. On the same recent visit to our second home in Vancouver, we had two great meals at Ho Yuen Key, a sort of upscale Hong Kong cafe. Have the dumpling soup and any of their chow meins (especially the one with barbecued pork.
The Brasserie on Davie has buck a shuck oysters every night from nine pm on and the oysters are always terrific. It also is an excellent place for bistro food. Rodney's is fun, but it is easy to spend $ 75 per person just on oysters and bloody Caesars..
Finally, you really should add La Quercia to your list. Casual Italian but the place is operating on all cylinders.
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Ho Yuen Restaurant
6236 Fraser St, Vancouver, BC V5W, CA
La Quercia
3689 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6R1P2, CA
Hong Kong Restaurant
113 MacKenzie, Revelstoke, BC V0E2S1, CA
Spicy Court for Dim Sum
On our one visit, the service was a little slow but otherwise very attentive.
Spicy Court for Dim Sum
It always pays to compare notes with new friends who are wired into the ever changing Vancouver-area Chinese restaurant scene. A recent example is the excellent recommendation of David Hawksworth's catering manager, Sue-Yen Lee, who while helping us with a private event, mentioned that her family members are regulars at the Spicy Court on Cambie and 41st Avenue. I'd passed the restaurant many times, but I had never been there or seen mention of it on this or other boards. However, our recent visit (and one by my daughter and her husband) suggests that Spicy Court may be doing some of the best traditional Cantonese dim sum in Vancouver (no carts).
We had terrific dumplings in spicy sauce, two delicate steamed dumplings (har gow and another shrimp-based choice), a good as it gets sticky rice wrap and several other items that met our test for the basics of dim sum. My daughter tells me that they had terrific steamed barbecued pork buns and an excellent spicy noodle soup, among other choices.
So for those who may have missed this seeming gem, as we did, a small detour is definitely warranted.
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Spicy Court Chinese Restaurant
5638 Cambie St, Vancouver, BC V5Z3A5, CA
First Time Visiting Vancouver -- Suggestions/Comments About Itinerary
I would have a long talk with your wife, as there truly are some extraordinary Chinese options in the Vancouver/Richmond area. Based upon comments here and my personal experience, interesting Cantonese options include Ho Yuen Key and the Good Choice, both on Fraser in the 47th Avenue area (if you don't mind traveling a bit). We have been especially pleased with the latter. For dim sum, the Sun Sui Wah on Main Street and the Fortune on Cambie and 41st Avenue are excellent.
I like Cioppinos in Yaletown, but it is way overpriced. Both La Buca and La Quercia are excellent, casual and fairly priced. I would give a slight nod to La Quercia.
I am still waiting to have a good meal at Chambar, despite many tries. Boneta is solid. For an upscale meal, you should consider Hawksworth, the new venue of David Hawksworth, West's former executive chef. David's cooking is without parallel in terms of West Coast cuisine in my judgment, although we thus far have had only one meal at his new venue..
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La Buca Restaurant
4025 MacDonald St, Vancouver, BC V6L2N8, CA
Ho Yuen Restaurant
6236 Fraser St, Vancouver, BC V5W, CA
La Quercia
3689 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6R1P2, CA
Main Street Cafe
317 MacKenzie, Revelstoke, BC V0E2S1, CA
West Coast Cafe
5142 Cordova Bay Rd, Victoria, BC V8Y2K5, CA
Viaggiatore Gournet
I discovered the referenced blog a few years ago (http://www.altissimoceto.it.) and, while my Italian is a bit lacking, it serves a purpose for me in that it contains ratings from various guides, reasonably accurate menus and photography bordering at times on "food pornography." However, it looks very much as if the blogger is a paid participant and it is entirely unclear to me what his affiliations may be.
I would be curious if any of the regulars to this board have additional information on the the blog and what to think about its recommendations.
Going to Vancouver for the first time. Any recomendations for Dim Sum? Chinese?
See my response to the Boston folks.
Yaletown restaurant suggestions please for family visiting from Boston
For the special occasion, Cioppino certainly qualifies. Hawksworth is brand new and while still on its maiden voyage, already has lots of buzz (again for for your special occasion). On our first visit, the food was exquisite.
The possibilities in terms of Chinese food are endless, especially if you have a little sense of adventure. Make sure to have dim sum (Kirin (there are two branches downtown), San Sui Wah and Fortune all are good choices in Vancouver proper). For casual Chinese food other than dim sum, try the Peaceful, the Good Choice or Ho Yuen Kee and for somewhat more upscale Cantonese seafood, try one of the Kirins.
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Ho Yuen Restaurant
6236 Fraser St, Vancouver, BC V5W, CA
